For example, in the field of, e.g., manufacture of semiconductors, there is known a coating apparatus that rotates a coating target such as a substrate, applies a material to this coating target, and thereby forms a film. There is known a technology that uses a coating method for performing so-called spiral coating, by which a material is applied to a coating target while forming a spiral trajectory, in regard to such a coating apparatus.
According to this coating method, a discoid coating target is fixed on a circular rotary stage, and a distance between a discharge surface of a coating nozzle and a substrate surface is maintained at a predetermined value. Then, the rotary stage is rotated, and the coating nozzle is linearly moved from the center toward an outer periphery of the coating target while discharging a coating material from the coating nozzle. This coating method is a method for discharging a material onto a rotating coating target, forming a spiral (coil-like) coating trajectory, and thereby forming a film on an entire surface of the coating target.